UND defenseman Andrew Strathmann 'never leaves anything to chance'

GRAND FORKS Andrew Strathmann won the Clark Cup in 2023.

He was an alternate captain on that Youngstown Phantoms team.

He finished in the top 10 in points by a defenseman in the United States Hockey League.

He was selected in the fourth round of the NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But when UND asked him to return to junior hockey for one more season and round out his game, Strathmann didn't bat an eye.

He didn't go looking for a new school.

Even though the other top 15 defenseman scorers in the USHL were all headed to college, he accepted the feedback and stayed the course.

Ryan Ward knows why.

Ward has known Strathmann since the defenseman was 15 years old.

Ward coached him with the Chicago Young Americans U15 team.

He coached Strathmann with the Tri-City Storm in the USHL.

When Ward took the head coaching job in Youngstown, he brought Strathmann there with a trade.

Ward and Strathmann are close enough that Ward's children look at Strathmann as a big brother.

"He's an extremely loyal person," Ward said.

"He'll do anything for you.

The people he cares about in his life his teammates, his family there's no one who cares more about those people than he does.

He doesn't have a large inner circle.

He has a small inner circle.

When you see guys like that, they know what's important to them.

"They shut down the noise and nonsense that may come with it, especially being an NHL draft pick playing at North Dakota.

He trusts the people that he trusts.

He listens to them.

He's coachable.

He loves his family.

He loves his teammates.

He loves the people he's close to.

He'd do anything for them." That's one reason Strathmann had no problem doing what UND asked.

The other? Strathmann is always looking to improve his game.

"He's probably the most competitive person I've ever been around," Ward said.

"I highly doubt anyone would outwork him as far as getting his body ready.

I think he's got a great way about him, a good balance.

He brings people into the fight with him.

The things he does on a day-to-day basis, off the ice, he never leaves anything to chance.

He doesn't take anything for granted.

He brings a good balance of being a good teammate and being able to have fun with the guys, while never leaving an opportunity for development on the table." Strathmann captained Youngstown last season and made his long-awaited arrival to UND this fall.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defender has improved his defensive game throughout the season.

Now, he's showing flashes of his offensive brilliance and getting rewarded with more ice time.

Strathmann played a season-high 19:22 last Friday against Minnesota Duluth.

With defensemen E.J.

Emery, Dane Montgomery and Bennett Zmolek out due to injury this weekend, Strathmann will be asked to play a similarly large role against National Collegiate Hockey Conference-leading Western Michigan.

"His game is growing," UND coach Brad Berry said.

"He's learning what he can do and can't do in college hockey, where time and space become a situation where you have to move a puck or where you have to defend and get under a guy a little bit quicker than in juniors.

He's doing a good job learning the game and getting acclimated to it." This weekend will be a special series for Strathmann.

It's within driving distance for his family members, who reside in Beach Park, Ill., a town 45 minutes north of Chicago.

They'll celebrate Strathmann's 20th birthday, which is Thursday, and watch the Fighting Hawks play the Broncos.

Strathmann is close with his parents, Ralph and Laura, and his older sister, Camryn, who teaches in an elementary school.

"I love what she does," Strathmann said.

"People don't realize how hard it is to be a teacher." Ralph was a catcher for the Texas Tech baseball team, but Andrew decided to go down the hockey path.

His game has a couple of distinct traits.

Despite being 5-foot-11, Strathmann can throw a big hit.

He's also dynamic offensively.

"He's really impressive," UND forward Ben Strinden said.

"He has a lot of talent.

I don't think people have seen all of it yet.

But in practice, what I've seen is that he's really talented, a really great guy." Strathmann is adept at creating shot lanes from the point by keeping shot blockers off balance.

He also skates well and can jump into rushes with ease.

"He's got really good offensive abilities," UND defenseman Abram Wiebe said.

"He's shown it throughout the season.

In the second half of this season, he's gaining confidence.

You can see that by him joining the rush and making those really nice plays at the blue line." Strathmann has two goals and four points this season, but Berry said the points will eventually come.

"He's not afraid to walk the blue line," Berry said.

"He's not afraid to make a move on a guy who is coming at him.

"He did run a power play in Youngstown and did a really good job.

He can do that here eventually." Strathmann said he trusted UND's staff when it requested he play an extra year of junior hocey.

"I know these guys put a lot of thought into their guys and the future they want," Strathmann said.

"They figured it was better for me to go back another year.

I was on board with that 100 percent.

I talked to my agent and my coach in Youngstown.

They said it was a great opportunity to come back, be a leader and iron out some things you need to in your game.

I feel like I did that." Now, it's paying off.

"I feel great," Strathmann said.

"With some guys going down, it puts me as a young guy in a situation to play a little more.

That builds a little bit of confidence." Strathmann said he feels at home in Grand Forks, where he's expected to develop into an anchor of the defensive corps.

"It's been awesome," Strathmann said.

"Coming in, I didn't really know what to expect.

A lot of the older guys that have been here before, some sophomores like Wieber and Liver (Jake Livanavage), have helped me a lot.

"It's been unreal.

I love the fans.

I love the community." When: 6 p.m.

Central on Friday, 5 p.m.

Central on Saturday.

Where: Lawson Ice Arena, Kalamazoo, Mich.

TV: None.

Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM).

Stream: NCHChockey.com..

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